Peter Tosh's son beaten and in coma, family to file civil rights lawsuit

The family of Jamaican, Jawara McIntosh, the son of reggae icon Peter Tosh, is to take the Bergen County Jail in New Jersey in the United States to court over an alleged beating that has left him in a coma.

The family’s attorney, Jasmine Rand, told The Gleaner/Power 106 News Centre that McIntosh has been in a coma since February and according to her the authorities at the jail have not been forthcoming with information about the alleged assault.

Rand said the family has been left distraught by the incident.

She said a notice has been filed to bring a civil rights lawsuit against the jail.

The attorney said the family is also to seek an independent investigation from the United States Department of Justice into the beating.

Jasmine Rand, the attorney for the family of Jawara McIntosh, the son of reggae icon Peter Tosh

McIntosh was in jail serving a six-month sentence for cannabis-related charges at the time of the alleged beating.

Noting that McIntosh is a pro-cannabis advocate, Rand said his family has vowed to continue his fight for legalisation as they also press for answers about his alleged beating.